Prosecutors say they may bring additional charges against Mayor Eric Adams following his indictment last week on charges that he took illegal campaign contributions and bribes from foreign nationals. They said more people may face criminal charges as a result of the investigation as well.
The news came as Adams made his second court appearance in the case Wednesday. The mayor was expected to ask a judge to dismiss a bribery charge, arguing that he accepted “gratuities” from the Turkish government, not bribes.
The indictment alleges Adams accepted extravagant travel perks from Turkish nationals in exchange for pressuring FDNY officials to allow a new Turkish consulate to open despite serious safety concerns, and for appointing a Turkish airline manager to his transition team. The mayor was indicted last week on federal corruption charges, including fraud, bribery and soliciting illegal campaign donations.
Adams pleaded not guilty in court last week and has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. Just days later, his attorneys filed papers asking a judge to drop the bribery charge. The mayor’s lawyers also requested a hearing to look into potential leaks of confidential information about the case to the press.
Those requests were expected to come up at the Wednesday court conference.
This is a developing story and will be updated.